Vegetable Ragout

I made this with a friend the first time we met on my Erasmus (international student semester) in the cold of Stockholm, Sweden. This is a versatile and tasty dish, especially for those who are trying to incorporate a more plant-based diet. It can also be frozen or eaten for several days (it gets better when the flavors have time to meld).

Laura Arndt

Experience Creator

Laura Arndt

Ingredients

1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 red bell peppers, chopped
½ lb mushrooms (200g)
1 zucchini, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
19 oz chunky tomato sauce (500g)
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon vegetable broth/bouillon1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon hot paprika
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
thyme, oregano, and other Mediterranean spices (Italian spices, Herbes de Provence), etc.
feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot.
Sauté carrots for 1-2 minutes.
Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic.
Add the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute to bring out the full flavor, then stir everything together.
Add all the other vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper).
Let it simmer for a while until the water from the vegetables builds up in the pot.
Add a tbsp of vegetable bouillon (add water to achieve desired consistency).
Close the lid and let it simmer on low heat until vegetables reach your desired tenderness.
Add the bay leaves and the tomato sauce, let it simmer again.
Add the spices to taste and let it simmer together to build the full aroma.
Garnish the dish with the feta.

In the meantime you can make anything you want to eat together with it. I personally like crispy gnocchi or a good ciabatta bread.